No sweat, man. Nice "Eyes." Too fast but, what the hey?

we were there and it was Magical…
this was one of the first digital tapes made too. someone had a beta max plugged int the soundboard, so we all got great sounding tapes of the show..btw the warping sounds into trucking were on purpose…Healy was fucking around with the sound , loved when he did it to bobbys vocals , check out "get back" from SF civic 1/28/1987…I have to say it again...we were there and it was Magical…

It's a good show, but the source info is incorrect. This is from a cassette, not PCM.

So this is one of those shows that was widely traded in 86, and for obvious reasons! In fact, it was one of those shows that was widely discussed on the East Coast as we waited with our annual anticipation of the Spring tour. "Have you heard the Kaiser shows with the Neville Bros?" was something asked again and again in late Feb 86 and early March, and beyond!

This is one of my favorite shows from a year that is almost, but not, quite what I call a 'peak' year. For me, the band is still riding high on the wave from '85, which I consider one of those peak years. That's all up for discussion, but what's not, in my judgment, are these run of shows at the Kaiser, which always seemed to host one great show after another.
I'll be featuring these two with the Neville this month on the Dead Zone as we explore this year's theme, 'the Dead and Friends,' which is guiding us throughout 2011. The idea for this year's theme came from a 'gap' in last year's terrific New York Historical Society exhibit of the UC Santa Cruz GD archives.

My favorite show of 86 is spiced up with the presence of the neville brothers…I know you guys are thinking, “86?” Yes, let me tell you friends, even though jerry’s voice is raspy and worn, there are still some sweet moments in the great year of 86’. Forget the New York Mets, you gotta believe in the Dead in this year. Brent is especially notable throughout this show. He brings the funk all over oakland on this february evening. The show starts out with a china > rider, which is not the most exceptionally played, but it really sets the tone for the evening and gets the crowd excited. The segue between china > rider is done recklessly, as if the band can’t wait for the rest of the show to prove a point. Brent does some nice noodling on the keys during these two numbers. The middle of the first set is played nicely, but nothing spectacular. The pace and intensity is still high, because they don’t play any slow numbers like FOTD. (I’m not a big fan of FOTD, sorry). Fast forward to the Bird Song > Music > Might as well. These three songs to end the first set absolutely rocked. The Bird Song really jammed out hard and brent really went to town on the solo’s. I love the sprinkle effects in this song, and they really lay it out deep and thick. The swing into “Music” was nice and unexpected….the band is really playing in form right now, maybe they still think it was 85. This is shaping up to be a pretty intense show. The ragged vocals of jerry have different meaning now, as if an older jerry is still giving the same advice. While the best “might as well “ is definitely 10.29.77, this version is cool because of jerry’s voice. The band really backs him up by jamming hard, and everyone gets involved to close out the first set like a band possessed to take the city over. Out of the 4 shows they played on this run at the Kaiser, this one is definitely my favorite, and it’s not even the second set. The Neville Brothers opened for the dead, and they appeared with the band for the start of the second set. The drums started out the second set, and while some people don’t like drums or space, I think it can make or break a show, so I love to listen to it. And it’s mellow at first, but really kicks into Iko Iko. One of the neville bros jumps in to sing on iko iko. This version gets completely Irie at the 4 minute mark. You feel like you could be on a jamaican island listening to peter tosh. Brent lays down the funkadelics, and provides some nice backup vocals. The Eyes is just great placement and both groups are having fun, and it shows in the music. The eyes is not mellow at all, and they don’t settle into a little spacey version here, they still lay on the drips. It sounds like the Neville Bros brought a horn with them, although i can't confirm this. It sounds like they have some freakin congo’s on stage too. It’s really funky. The band is like the buffalo bills offense, a well- oiled machine (haha-not). They go back into the drums segment for a few minutes, and even though it’s not labeled, I think they should have a drums > space segment, because it is spacey, and it provides for a really cool transition into truckin. Truckin has no spectacular jams, but is well played, and stella blue is well done, and jerry slows the band down a little bit as he provides a little meaning for the song. The outtro of stella is a little sloppy but they recoup for a good slip into NFA. The set closer is a typical NFA, but when the boys come out with the NFA encore, it changes direction and is a completely different version of NFA. It’s sweet! They go into bo diddely and GDTRFB to further the encore (a 3 song encore!) and close out a nicely played 86’er! I’ll come back for more! You should too!

On a Friday night in the North Coast Hills everybody jumps!!

Newcomer in these parts,but my memories of turning 23 this particular night are nicely refreshed fm listening,but dang,can't dl the thing.if anyone is able,willing,or wanting to hook up this bday boy wanting ,please contact wheresthedogstar@gmail.com
Thank you.Yes,it was fun,i ate cake w/ another bday boy,and quite possibly danced in a skirt,or red guatemalan shorts,and a sneeze.AAH,the Kaiser!

Of the 5 nights of this run, this 1st set is the meatiest for sure. Download it for sure.

2nd set is fun, but nothing to write home about musically. Instead, it's a LONG Iko with LOTS of drums..kinda cool. The Eyes ends up being very unusual with all of the extra people out there..Then back for more drums.... As a 2nd set, it really doesn't work very well, but it still sounds great. Sound is excellent.

A decent China>Rider to open here. Some energy, but overall just average. The minglewood is poorly placed for this show and lacking in intensity from the collective band. The DupreeâÃÂÃÂs shows signs of life at the outset. Jerry looses it in the second verse, and has a lot of trouble with the lyrics. The band on the whole is not clicking here, at one point in dupreeâÃÂÃÂs it literally sounds like they are all ready to throw in the towel on this tune and stop. JerryâÃÂÃÂs voice is in pretty much terrible shape. They close the last 25 seconds of DupreeâÃÂÃÂs nicely. Average first two verses in Me and my Uncle, and JerryâÃÂÃÂs first solo is choppy and fairly standard. The remainder of this uncle isnâÃÂÃÂt worth much more..the mexicali rips. And it is 100% due to Bobby picking up the slack. And thankfully he gets brent into it(brent made numerous changes out of time during minglewood and Uncle). It seems that jerry has loosened up a touch by the end of mexicali. Thank god, because being tight on bird song is a recipe for rotten eggs. ïÃÂÃÂ

On the contrary, the bird song is huge. The wave fully forms behind it and sound just gushes out. Tight initial re-entry. Jer stumbles a few times in the first part of TMNS.
Overall the tmnp is a nice version. They get very spacey for a minute there and make a nice departure before dropping into might as well, which, hurts b/c, by this point Jer canâÃÂÃÂt even finish some words.

The drums>Iko Iko is fantastic. The actual transition isnâÃÂÃÂt as smooth as it could be, but that can be forgiven. The drums opener is more like a jam opener then drums, and it finds itâÃÂÃÂs way into a very sweet groove. IâÃÂÃÂd have liked them to play that out, although, all is forgiven for the following 20 minutes. Personally I think this eyes is incredibly rushed. The Iko was very nice, and more importantly very energetic, but the percussion in the eyes is virtually out of control. Mick and Bill arenâÃÂÃÂt playing together at all. Brent and Bob are really the two keeping this eyes from spinning out.

While the eyes was really rushed and not all that pleasant, the following drums is stellar. This night a very backwards one. The songs are sub-par, the setlist structure is all over the place, however the free jams are very impressive and cross multiple style/genre lines with each one.

The space> truckin is nice, but truckinâÃÂàis not, jerryâÃÂÃÂs bends are missing their intended notes, and this trend continues into an entirely too fast stella blue. At least through the first solo. The rest of the show is average, except for the Hey Bo Diddley, which is rawkous and well played.

IâÃÂÃÂm honestly not sure why this show has received so many positive reviews. I imagine on the night in question it was a fun show, but listening back, this show is really sub-par by mid-80s standards.

Sound 8/10
Playing 5 ÃÂý /10
Show 6 /10

I am giving this a six for the drums>iko. Take that out and I'd give it a 3 ÃÂý

This show is for all the folk on this blog who say 85/86-ish was last great tours JUST pre-sellout ÃÂÃÂ before the Dead got uber-popular in late 80s -- and the scene got stale...

I've had a copy of this a bit of time -- It's a jem of a bootleg...helped me get into west coast tapes. Please listen to this show - highly recommendedÃÂÃÂ --

And recognize the possibility the Dead didnÃÂÃÂt get popular as a fadÃÂÃÂto wear funny clothes/ eat veggie burritos. The Dead got popular b/c of SHOWS LIKE THIS -- well, that and killer veggie pizza on Shakedown;-) Anyway you feel it - Tonight JAMS. Another example of the continuous evolution that was the Dead: Mandolins to MIDIs and round and around...this one of the days between shows --- the past glory before the end. Maybe that's why they played wheel so much...hmmmm

I love the Junky wheeze comment below ÃÂÃÂ we called it JunkyJerrBear Jam ÃÂÃÂ or JG Brown: badest dude in whole dang town. STELLLLLLA!

Make Billy LOUD and sum Neville FIRE/ and Ice cold licks --- and you got one serious 2nd set -- Bet a dollar this show rocks at least a little sense outta you...
5.

While you hear echoes of enveloped, Jovian sound, Jerry's gravelly junkie wheeze somehow works. The performance is inspired, fun, clever...

Bobby's in his ultimate neck twisting, polka man with two sets of knees form.

You hear how reflexive Dupree's is for Jerry.

This sweet, sweet jelly's so good...DL it and enjoy.

The Nevilles add a little cajun dico to the 2nd set and Jerry starts out Eyes with "Right outside this cReEpY summer home..." I love a creepy summer home to get that tune going.

5 for sound, 4 for performance...5's are for those uber-X factor nights.

Great show, and EXCELLENT sound board.
Great bass line on this tape.

Awsome show, Download this now

eeeww God,
I innocently consumed some rather innocent looking fungal substances and had my ball rung HARD this night.
Not something I would ever want to experience again. Although in hindsight it may have been good for me like eating all of my veggies.
From thr moment the Nevilles came out in head dress and sang "Smoke My Peacepipe" in the first set that is when I began to sink just a little too far. Until I finally was able to stand up for Stella Blue and realize, "Whao, I'm at a Deadshow?" the whole place was vibrating plant material and three hours of my life I can't account for. Listening to it now, I say hey they were on that night. Not bad for 1986.
Yeah the good ol daze.
:)

Famous professor, author, and deadhead Joseph Campbell shared stage time with the dead here(not playing, just BEING there)

Simply and awesome performance with fun reverb and vocals

by '86 things had really started to become pretty formulaic with very little outside of a pretty tight box musically so to listen to this is refreshing - musically it is great and the novelty of the way the second set is arranged is pretty cool.

Good listenings... my 20th birthday show...

I popped disk 2 in first because it's a famous old tape in my world. The drums>Iko>Eyes>Drumz is great Sounds like theres a drum corps out there with 'em. The start of truckin turned out bad (I think) on my d/l, but the whole show is overall an 'easy-listenin-A'